New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-19
TIRE "c1YCSD md TIE POLICE

THE "GANGS" And TIE POLICE
The killing Of Hugh O'Connor by man
who was being beaten by the so-called DRY
Dock" gang once more directs attention 10
9 matter which has been talked OF often
enough, but apparently with less pract'cll
results than are satisfactory. The existence
of "a number Of gangs of rIl1ians in various
parts OF the city, and especially along the
river fronts, is of long standing. The police
records would show a formidable list Of
crimes committed by these gangs. From
time to- time they have grown so bold that
it has been found necessary to organize police
raids upon one and another, and after such
reprcssivc movements they have usually kept
quiet for few months. But though their
leaders may and do get caught occasionally
and serve terms in the Peniteutiary or upon
B!ackwclls Island the gangs continue TO
flourish, being continually recruited with
fresh stock, and they make life and property
alike insecure in the localities they infest.
The Dry Dock gang, one OF the members
of which has Just been killed, has partic-
ularly bad reputation. 1t is said that 1T Is
unsafe for any one to pass through the streets
at night when they are out They Will at
tack stranger going quietly about his ousi-
ness and beat and rob him in the most brutal
way. They were engaged in just such an
outrage upon a passing citizen when the
brave man Brophy sailed to the rescue OIL
their victim, and so attracted their fury
to himself.
II is difficult to understand how any captain
of police can tolerate tho existence OF such
gangs in his precinct, and still more dillicul'
to believe that any captain of police lacks
the power TO break them up and to keep them
from renewing their lawlessness. No doubt
the officers OIL whose beats the roughs con-
gregate are not likely to invite the hostility
Of tic gangs by showing special zeal IN The
pursuit of them. Policemen may be ex-
cused if they put certain value on thcr
ives. and since it is certain that neither one
nor two nor three nor half dozen officers
could cope with one of these gangs, it cannot
be expected that o solitary patrolman will
undertake to keep them in order, even VIII
such help as he might obtain from his CON-
rades on adjoining beats. The fact Is tha'
the evil cannot be met in this way. 1t de-
maniIs heroic treatment. While the ma
iority of any gang are at liberty 1t Is prob
ably very difficult to obtain local witnesses
against such as are in custody. Any man
living in their neighborhOod who should
testify against ono of them would be marked
down for vengeance. This fact has always
constituted a chief defence OF these rufilans.
But if sweeping raid were made with body
of police large enough to overawe resist
anco, the case would be different. With the
whole gang under arrest the system OF terror
1. ap1 in all nr0babIli ~
il would be found practicable to get them ali
convicted and disposed Of eIcctualy.
The present method of dealing with the
gangs is clearly futi!o. They are not dsor-
ganized, the public are not protected, and.
such outrages as that which brought condgn
punishment upon one Of the roughs are pos
sible at any time Of course, 1T Is intoleia5le
that any part Of New-York should virtually
bc in the hands Of brgands that decent
citizens should be unable TO pass through
certain public streets after dark; that Zero
cious assaults with highway robbery and
possibly murder should be among the con
tingenccs to which any person is exposed
who ignorantly happens to pass where a
:. gang" is congregaicd. Superintendent Muir
raw ought to perceive that such state OF
affairs cannot Inc endured, ana that IL Is MS
duty to take immediate measures for putting
an end to it. Ii the police on duty IN The
lxwless quarters are incapable of suppiessine
the nuisance they should be reinforced until
there is NO question Of efectual resistance to
the law. 1t is really monstrous that few
desperate blackguards should be permitted
year after year TO disgrace this great city
and to make many Of its thoroughfares as
dangerous as Hounslow Heath hundred
wears ago. Nor can it be said in excuse that
there arc not police enough to handle tho
gangs. There are plenty of police If they
are put where they will do the most good.
On any given occasion a hundred men can be
turned upon a gang, and it would not require
many lessons of that kind to break them all
up. 1t ought to be done too, Mr. Murray.